1/700 scale matchbox models

Let's see....The ones I remember are H.M.S. Exeter, a King George V- class battleship, the Bismarck, the Graf Spee, a British K-class destroyer, a German Z-class destroyer, the fast minelayer H.M.S. Manxman, and (though my memory of this one is extremely vague) the postwar cruiser H.M.S. Tiger. There may have been one or two others.

I haven't seen all of them in the flesh. In general, though, I think it's safe to say that they were respectable for their time but don't measure up to modern standards. Furthermore, several of those ships are represented by better, more recent kits. The Tamiya KGV and Prince of Wales are excellent, the Tamiya/Skywave Z-class destroyer is pretty good, the Italeri/Testors Graf Spee is one of the nicest 1/720 kits on the market, and Trumpeter and Dragon have both released excellent, state-of-the-art Bismarck kits recently. The Matchbox K-class destroyer isn't bad; a set of aftermarket photo-etched parts could turn it into an excellent model (though White Ensign Models' resin kit undoubtedly is quite a bit more accurate and better detailed). That really leaves only three to think about. The Exeter is pretty rough-and-ready; as I remember it was one of the first ship kits the company produced. But it's the only plastic representation of that famous and important ship. I haven't seen the Manxman, but I seem to recall that it got pretty good reviews at the time. I don't know anything about the Tiger.

If you have a specific reason to build an Exeter or a Manxman, the old Matchbox kits are probably worth seeking out. Otherwise, frankly, I wouldn't bother. There are some superb 1/700 kits available nowadays, and these old ones really don't measure up.

I have the Tiger in my collection. I made it almost 20 years ago. She is depicted after her conversion to a helecopter cruiser. It makes a nice model that is reasonably accurate. Probably not good enough for the 'super acurate' modellers, but I am very happy with my one.

I built Duke of York as KGV with the aid of WEMs Pe set. Turned out ok, but for the amount of time spent correcting errors (like the citadel) I should have spent the extra $10 bucks for Tamiya's KGV

I had a 1/720 Matchbox USS Indianapolis in my colection once (I replaced it with the Tamiya 1/700 kit). The kit is designed well, but the detail is a little coasre. I recently built the Matchbox 1/700 HMS Tiger and I modified the kit with parts from my spare part collection (unused pieces from other kits that I save), Sea Cat launchers from a Skywave kit, compatible life boats, modified radar airials (scratch built and GMM). Looks good.

Verdict:
The kits are good but lack detail, however detail can be improved with aftermarket add ons, or parts out of your stash.

I'd forgotten about the Indianapolis. I think it falls into the same category as the Duke of York and the Bismarck: ok if there were no other kit on the market, but superseded by the Tamiya kit. For its time it was remarkably sophisticated in some respects: one of the aircraft catapults was absent (correct for her late-war configuration), and the 20mm guns were separate pieces. But by modern standards it was pretty blobby. Certainly not up to modern Tamiya standards.

Now that I think of it, Matchbox also made a Fletcher-class destroyer. Same situation: maybe on a par with the contemporary Skywave kit, but not on the same level as the newer Tamiya one.

It's worth noting that we're in the midst of what may in the future come to be regarded as a golden age of warship modeling. There was a time not so long ago when any American treaty cruise kit was welcomed like manna from heaven - and 1/700 guardrails and radar screens were regarded as impossible.

The Matchbox Indianapolis also had fairly accurate painting instructions for mid war appearance. The arrangement of the 20mm guns was closer to the arrangement on her sister ship USS Portland.

I have compared Tamiya's kit to line drawings and photos in Norman Friedman's design series book on Cruisers and the likeness is remarkable.

I built the Indianapolis and it is not a bad kit. The only issue I have is with the antiaircraft armament. They are about 40% bigger than they should be.

If you want a good 1/700 HMS Exeter, I would recomend that you buy a Samek HMS York and convert it. Samek kits are made of resin and need super glue or epoxy to build.

In addition to the really nice HMS Tiger and HMS Exeter, Matchbox also made a pretty nice HMS Kelly. The Tiger hull is suitable for conversion to the other groups of the Colony class cruisers, and the Kelly is suitable for conversion to J, K, L & M class ships.

I felt their Indianapolis was heavy-handed, but for a long time, it was the only injection-molded US Treaty cruiser in the game. Their HMS Ariadne was really heavy-handed, and is STILL the only injection-molded kit in 1/700 of that class.

Others that duplicated classes made by other manufacturers even in the early '80s include: a USS Fletcher that was more heavy-handed than Skywave's original offering, but a bit more accurate. An Atlanta class CLAA that was more toy-like than others of the line, KGV class, Bismarck class, a pocket battleship and a German Narvik class DD. None of these were unique on the market, so they weren't worth wasting money on.

In later years, German Revell has boxed these kits along with the more hopeless US Revell 1/720 Arizona & Hipper class kits, confusing things mightily.

I still have stacks of the unique Matchbox kits awaiting wonderful conversion projects that still may reach fruition someday.

Rick Heinbaugh

The Finescale Magazine had an artical about upgrading the Revell USS Mass. a while back. I think that will have most everything you'll need.

For anyone who's interested, here is the Matchbox HMS Manxman all built up:



She's sitting on the contest table at my IPMS club meeting in this photo.

I built it OOB and you can see how soft on detail it is.